1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to transportable anesthesia machines and, more particularly, to support structure attachable to transportable anesthesia machines for mounting equipment, such as a video monitor, to the transportable anesthesia machines.
2. Brief Description of the Related Art
Transportable anesthesia machines are currently used in operating rooms and similar sites to deliver anesthesia to patients undergoing medical procedures. Examples of anesthesia machines include the Narkomed 1A, 2A and 2B anesthesia machines of North American Drager. Such machines typically include an anesthesia delivery system carried on and/or in a cart having a wheeled frame. The frame includes a pair of parallel side members and a pair of cross members extending between the side members. The frame is normally exposed and externally accessible beneath the cart. The frame is attached to wheels, allowing the cart to be transported or maneuvered along a floor surface.
Patient monitoring systems are used with transportable anesthesia machines and typically include a video monitor, such as the Hewlett-Packard video monitor typically used with the Narkomed anesthesia machines of North American Drager. The patient monitoring systems typically detect or measure various parameters, such as heart rate, blood pressure, pulse and gas concentrations, and provide a visual display on the display screen of the video monitor. The display screen of the video monitor is observed by the anesthesiologist to assess the patient""s medical condition throughout the medical procedure being performed.
Conventional transportable anesthesia machines support the video monitors on top of the anesthesia machines. When thusly supported, the video monitors are positioned higher than desirable so that the head of a seated anesthesiologist must be rotated to the right and tilted upward in order to visualize the display screens. This is uncomfortable for the anesthesiologist, may contribute to physician fatigue and interferes with continuous observation of the patient. In addition, mounting of the video monitors on top of the anesthesia machines raises the center of gravity of the anesthesia machines, possibly increasing the risk of the anesthesia machines tilting or tipping over. Present arrangements for supporting video monitors on anesthesia machines give rise to additional drawbacks including equipment and instrumentation not being within easy visualization and reach of the anesthesiologist, susceptibility for tangling of cords and hoses, the risk of injury and damage due to falling equipment, and difficulties in transportation and cleaning.
Accordingly, it is a primary object of the present invention to overcome the aforementioned disadvantages of supporting equipment relative to transportable anesthesia machines.
Another object of the present invention is to mount a video monitor or other equipment to a transportable anesthesia machine without raising the center of gravity of the anesthesia machine.
A further object of the present invention is to mount a video monitor and its control panel or other equipment to a transportable anesthesia machine so that the video monitor, gauges, flow meter and patient are within a single visual field for an anesthesiologist.
An additional object of the present invention is to mount a video monitor or other equipment to a transportable anesthesia machine so that the display screen of the video monitor is at eye level for a seated anesthesiologist and positioned between the patient and the anesthesia machine controls.
It is also an object of the present invention to mount a video monitor or other equipment to a transportable anesthesia machine in a manner imparting improved tilt resistance to the anesthesia machine.
Some of the advantages of the present invention are that all equipment and instrumentation are visible by and within easy reach of the anesthesiologist, the video monitor is able to swivel and tilt, the location of the video monitor outwardly from the anesthesia machine is adjustable, easy access to the bellows is afforded, the risk of tangling of cords and hoses is reduced, the support structure and equipment mounted thereto move as one unit with the anesthesia machine thereby facilitating transport, the support structure is without textured surfaces and is thusly conducive to cleaning, the risk of injury or damage due to falling equipment is reduced, the support structure can be packaged and shipped in a disassembled condition, the support structure is easily assembled with the use of standard tools, the support structure is readily attachable to conventional transportable anesthesia machines as well as being readily detachable therefrom, the support structure can be provided of non-ferrous materials for use in environments with magnetic resonance imaging, the bolt and bolt holes originally supplied with conventional video monitors are used to mount the video monitors on the support structure, the support structure can be used to mount various diverse equipment used with anesthesia machines, and the support structure can be easily adapted for use with various diverse conventional transportable anesthesia machines.
These and other objects, advantages and benefits are realized with the present invention as generally characterized in a support structure for mounting equipment, such as a video monitor, to a transportable anesthesia machine having a wheeled frame including a pair of exposed, parallel side members. The support structure includes an elongate vertical member and an elongate horizontal member extending perpendicularly from the vertical member for removable attachment to the frame of the anesthesia machine. The vertical member has an upper end at which the equipment is mounted and has a lower end. The horizontal member has an inboard end attached to the lower end of the vertical member and has a free outboard end. Preferably, the horizontal member is removably attached to the vertical member. A preferred removable attachment for the horizontal member to the vertical member includes a perpendicular flange on the lower end of the vertical member bolted to the inboard end of the horizontal member. The horizontal member is secured, preferably removably, to the frame of the anesthesia machine so that the support structure and the anesthesia machine move as a unit when the anesthesia machine is transported or wheeled along a floor surface. The horizontal member crosses the side members of the frame transversely, and the support structure includes one or more retaining plates connected to the horizontal member in adjustable spaced relation therewith so that the side members are compressively retained between the horizontal member and the one or more retaining plates. Preferably, two retaining plates are provided in the support structure, one for each side member. Each retaining plate has opposing ends extending laterally beyond opposing sides of the corresponding side member. Bolts extend through the opposing ends of the retaining plates to be disposed on opposite sides of the side members, respectively. The bolts extend through the horizontal member and have ends that protrude from the horizontal member. Nuts are secured on the ends of the bolts, respectively, to connect the retaining plates and the horizontal member in adjustable spaced relation. The nuts are tightened on the bolts to compressively secure the side members of the anesthesia machine between the retaining plates and the horizontal member. The retaining plates and bolts allow the horizontal member to be angularly adjusted relative to the side members of the anesthesia machine. The support structure includes a foot that depends from the horizontal member to a lower end disposed close to the floor surface. The foot inhibits or prevents undesired tilting or tipping over of the anesthesia machine. The vertical member support the video monitor and/or other equipment outwardly from the anesthesia machine. The video monitor and/or other equipment mounted at the upper end of the vertical member is advantageously disposed below a top of the anesthesia machine at a desirable location for viewing by an anaesthesiologist during a medical procedure.
Other objects and advantages of the present invention will become apparent from the following description of the preferred embodiments taken in conjunction with the accompanying drawings, wherein like parts in each of the several figures are identified by the same reference numerals.